


Roses and Tiaras.

by PrincessAuroraSnow



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: A LOT of canon divergence, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Modern Royalty, i don't know tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-15
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-02 20:51:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12734076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessAuroraSnow/pseuds/PrincessAuroraSnow
Summary: Elizabeth Cooper left behind her responsibilities as royalty as soon as she turned eighteen, but finds herself dragged back into her duties when her older sister Polly runs off with the cook Jason Blossom.Elizabeth has never been the type of person to order or rule, but now she must learn how to run the small kingdom of Riverdale.





	1. The Beginning.

Betty walked up the familiar stone walkway, it had been six years since she’d been here and she wished with all her might that she wasn’t actually. But here she was walking up to the door of Castle Cooper.  
Five days ago she had received an engraved letter sent by her mother telling her that her older sister Polly had run off with the chef Jason Blossom carrying his baby. When Betty received the letter she told herself that she wasn’t going to come, for some reason though she was here with a suitcase full of clothes knocking on the large oak door back in her old kingdom of Riverdale.  
The door opened with a slight creak and introduced the face of a rather intimidating tall man with a serious face, however when the man saw that it was Betty at the door his face eased into a childlike smile.  
“Princess Elizabeth, welcome home,” the man said, moving aside to allow her to walk in.  
“Thank you, Frederick. You’re looking well,” Betty said.  
“Allow me to take that suitcase for you,” Frederick said, already reaching for it.  
Betty handed it to him, knowing it to be useless to try and stop him.  
“Would you like to rest for awhile, or do you wish to see your parents right away?” Frederick asked.  
“Let’s just get it over with, shall we,” Betty said with a slight smile.  
She knew full well what was in store with her mother, asking her why she left, why she always made such stupid decisions, what was wrong with the home she had given her, and she knew that Alice Cooper was going to beg her to stay. Maybe that was what made Betty decide to come after her, to finally say no to her mother’s face.  
The castle was huge, unbelievably so, filled with bedrooms, libraries, studies, ballrooms, music rooms, and so much empty space. Betty wondered how she had never gotten lost as a child not once, she supposed just luck, bad perhaps.  
Her parents were waiting in one of the first-floor studies, and when she saw them they looked older than she remembered. It was only natural she hadn’t seen them in six years, but they seemed too old, too tired looking.  
“Elizabeth, darling,” Alice Cooper said, getting out of the chair she was sitting in.  
“Hi Mom,” Betty said, wrapping her arms around her mother.  
“You look beautiful, darling,” Alice said, looking into her daughter’s bright green eyes.  
“I… do?” Betty asked, confused.  
She had chosen her outfit today to make her mother furious, throwing on ratty old jeans, a white t-shirt, and she had put her hair into a messy bun.  
“Of course, you’ve grown so much in these past six years,” Alice said with tears almost spilling down her cheeks.  
“Betty,” Hal Cooper said, holding his arms open for her.  
“Hi Dad,” Betty said, suddenly finding herself teary as well.  
“Come sit down, have a cup of tea,” Alice said, leading her daughter to the couch,  
“Thanks.”  
Betty waited for her parents to bring up the subject of Polly and how they needed Betty to return to succeed the throne. But Betty drank two cups of tea before she couldn’t take it anymore.  
“Aren’t we going to talk about the elephant in the room?” Betty asked, exasperated.  
“Of course, darling, we just didn’t want to just bombard you with things,” Alice replied.  
“You obviously know where we stand, but we want to know what you think,” Hal said.  
Betty was even more confused than before. Were her parents actually listening to her? Actually caring about what she really wanted, this was new.  
“How much did my running away change them?” Betty thought to herself.  
She thought about what she wanted really hard if someone had asked her ten minutes ago she would have said no in a heartbeat. But now she wasn’t sure.  
All she had left behind in New York was a dead end job, no friends, a crappy apartment, and ramen noodles. Sure, maybe staying here took away her freedom, but maybe she needed to reevaluate the decisions a very angry, impulsive teenager had made.  
“Do you think I can have a couple days to think it over?” Betty asked.  
“Of course, take as long as you need,” Alice said, looking slightly relieved.  
“Meanwhile maybe we can get to know each other again?” Hal suggested.  
“I’d really like that, Dad.”

Everything was always so perfect in Castle Cooper. Dinner had always been at 6:00 o’clock sharp, formal wear was required, perfect manners must be displayed. Now, however, things were a little more laid back, dinner was whenever it was needed you dressed nice but not overly formal, and elbows were allowed on the table.   
Betty wasn’t sure what this meant, was it an act or did they really learn from her running away. She silently begged for it to be the latter, liking her new parents.   
Betty was surprised at how much she had missed them, despite their controlling personalities they were, after all, her parents and she loved them. She was more surprised at how much she missed Castle Cooper, the endless books, beautiful gardens, and quiet spaces, which New York did not have.   
Was this what she always wanted to do though, if she came back now she would never be able to turn back if she left it would be the same. Did she always want this responsibility, always want to have to meet everyone’s expectations, exactly what she was running away from in the first place? The Coopers were always expected to be perfect, she hated that word and all the strings that came with it. Yet was she prepared to leave her kingdom to God knows who?

Betty couldn’t truthfully deny that she hadn’t missed living in this place, with its beautiful architecture, delicious food, people to wait on her, and her absolute favorite thing in the world: her old bedroom. She loved the beautiful furniture, her gorgeous canopy bed, her beautiful antique wardrobe, filled with beautiful clothes, her vanity. Nothing had changed in her bedroom and that gave her a sense of security.  
After dinner with her parents, Betty flopped down unto her clean sheets and thought.   
Polly had always been the golden girl, she had was the one who always wanted this, why did she leave Betty to clean up her mess?  
Betty never wanted the glitz and the glamour, only a quiet life that maybe she could share with someone. There used to be a boy that she wanted to do that with, but he had probably long forgotten her, after all, it had been six years since she’d seen him.  
Betty finally said screw it, she needed some advice. So she went down to the study, hoping to find both her parents, but she instead found only her dad.  
“Betty,” Hal said, looking up from the glass of scotch he had just poured.  
“Hi Dad,” Betty said, sitting down in one of the armchairs.  
“If you want your mother, she’s already upstairs,” Hal said.  
“No, actually, can I talk to you instead?” Betty asked.  
“Sure, uh, would you like a drink?” Hal asked.  
“No, I’m fine. I just want some advice.”  
“Betty, I can’t give you advice about your decision regarding the throne.”  
“Why not?”  
“After Polly left your mother and I made a pact that we wouldn’t pressure you into taking this job. Because our attitudes are what caused both of you to run away in the first place, and after Polly did what you did, we finally realized what we were too stubborn to notice. It was all our fault. I only wish we could have realized it sooner, so none of this would have happened.”  
“I just have one question for you, Dad.”  
“What’s that, Betty?”  
“Do you hate me for running away?”  
“I won’t deny that your mother and I weren’t angry at first, but like I just said it was all our fault that it happened. If we hadn’t been so hard on you, you never would have run away.”  
Tears welled in Betty’s eyes.  
“I was always so scared that you would hate me if I came back, which is why I never did.”  
Hal got up to hug Betty.  
“Betty, honey, your mother and I could never hate you, you’re our daughter. We love you more than anything.”  
“Dad, I’ve decided I wanna try to be the ruler of Riverdale.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“I think so.”


	2. I Had the Time of My Life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I did it I uploaded!  
> But seriously, sorry if this chapter sucks it literally killed me. With some of the personalities I'm leaning more into the classic comics, others I'm changing completely, so sorry.

“Are you sure, cause if you need more time, you can have as much as you need,” Hal said.  
“Yes, Dad, I’m sure,” Betty said, sounding more sure than she felt.  
“Okay.”  
And so began the preparations.  
Everyone needed to know about their new future ruler, or so Alice Cooper thought. Betty didn’t really mind though, she knew that hosting a party in her honor would make her mother extremely happy. Besides, it was the best way to let her old friends know that she was back… home. This was truly where she felt most at home, despite the grueling responsibilities that came with it.  
What she was really worried about was that the citizens of Riverdale wouldn’t accept her as a ruler. Though in Riverdale the royal family wasn’t much more than figureheads, she still wanted their approval. Betty was unsure if her running away made any difference to them. Betty was nervous as hell but excited just the same. She was most excited to see the friends she hadn’t seen for six years. Some more than others. There was this one boy who she was very anxious to see.

On the night of the party, she got dressed up for the first time in, well, six years. She realized how much she missed the feeling of being spoiled and pampered. In New York spoiling herself usually equaled getting actual food instead of ramen noodles. But here it meant personal hair and makeup stylists, and custom-made dresses and shoes. The dress she was given was simple, yet she knew it was very expensive. She almost objected to it, until she realized that it was useless to argue with her mother about things like this, especially since she wasn't exactly against the soft fabric on her skin.  
Penelope Blossom, who had been her nanny since she was born, was still working at the castle, and her daughter, Cheryl, Jason’s twin sister, had started working there as well, were her favorite people. Betty had missed them dreadfully, but she didn’t know how much until she saw them again. They gave her such an overwhelming feeling of home, and she loved it. 

Soon guests started to arrive, and she excitedly waited for her old friends to arrive. The first to arrive promptly was Fred and Archie Andrews.  
“Archie!” Betty called, as soon as he walked through the door.  
“Betty, you’re a sight for sore eyes. How are you doing?” Archie asked, bringing her in for a hug.  
“I’m doing okay, just a little nervous, you know,” Betty replied.  
Suddenly the door banged open.  
“Don’t worry the party can start, the Regmeister has arrived,” Reggie Mantle cried, walking through the door.  
“Haven’t grown up at all since I left, I see, Reginald,” Betty said, rolling her eyes.  
“Not that you can see, but maybe I’ll let you see it later,” Reggie whispered.  
“Oh my God, dude, what the hell?” Archie asked.  
“Don’t be jealous, Arch,” Reggie said, winking.  
“Down, Reg. Keep it in your pants, I’m sure it can fit pretty easily,” Betty said.  
“There’s that spunk that I missed, save me a dance, will ya, Cooper,” Reggie said, walking towards the ballroom.  
“Betty Cooper, you look more beautiful than I remember,” Chuck Clayton said, appearing suddenly behind her.  
“Thanks, Chuck,” Betty said, turning back to Archie.  
“Playing hard to get, I like it. Save a dance for me, kitten,” Chuck said, leaving the room.  
“As if,” Betty said, under her breath.  
“So Betty, how does it feel to be back in Riverdale?” Archie asked, putting his arm around her.  
“Odd, but I feel really at home here. New York just wasn’t the same, you know,” Betty said.  
“Elizabeth, you are looking lovely this evening,” Dilton Doiley said, coming up to kiss her hand.  
“Thank you, Dilton,” Betty said, bringing her hand back to her body.  
“Maybe later we can dance, Elizabeth; Archibald,” Dilton said, nodding slightly at Archie before turning to walk out of the room.  
Hiram, Hermione, and Veronica Lodge were the next to arrive.  
“Hi Ronnie, how are you?” Betty asked, spreading her arms for a hug.  
“B, God, I missed you,” Veronica replied, wrapping her arms around Betty.  
“How was big city life?” Veronica asked.  
“Horrible V, I honestly can’t remember why I stayed so long.”  
“Well, let’s get out of this entranceway and get to the party,” Veronica said.  
“Wait, where’s Jughead?” Betty asked.  
“Oh, he told me that he and his dad might not be able to make it,” Archie said.  
“I see, let’s go party, then,” Betty said, allowing herself to be disappointed for only a minute.

Betty enjoyed herself more than she expected. She had more fun than she had had in years. She was laughing dancing her sixth dance with Archie and Veronica, making quite the third wheel of herself, when he walked into the ballroom.  
He was taller than she remembered at least 6’ feet, wearing his beanie and leather jacket. His hair looked the same, unruly, that one curl falling over his forehead. She looked at his face and locked eyes with his. The intense blueness in them made her breath hitch and almost made her knees buckle. Betty mumbled some kind of excuse to Archie and Veronica, and then made her way across the dance floor towards him, never breaking his gaze.  
“Hi,” Betty said when she got to him.  
“Hi, sorry I’m late,” Jughead said with a slight smile.  
“No problem,” Betty said, returning the smile.  
Betty looked back to where to where she was dancing with Archie and Veronica to find them swaying slowly to the music and making out. Well, she clearly wasn’t missed there.  
“Do you wanna get out of here?” Betty asked, looking back at Jughead.  
He looked confused.  
“Just to the balcony, don’t look so panic-stricken,” Betty said, taking his hand.

“Ah,” Betty said, taking a deep breath when they were outside.  
“How was the big city?” Jughead asked, walking to stand next to her.  
“Big, noisy, crowded, and not what I wanted.”  
Jughead just nodded.  
“Juggie, are you mad at me for leaving?”  
“No, of course not. I just kind of missed you,” Jughead replied, a blush forming on his face.  
“Me too, but it’s okay if you’re mad at me. I kind of am.”  
“Okay, maybe I was, but I’m not anymore.”  
Betty smiled.  
“Just out of curiosity, what made you come back?”  
“You know, when I got the letter I fully intended to come back to shove it in my parents face. And even when I arrived I didn’t change my mind until I saw them.”  
“What about them made you change your mind?”  
“Well. it all started with how tired they looked, how weary from the world. But then I saw how they acted, they didn’t press me to make a decision. We only talked about it because I brought it up. What really changed my mind though was when I came down to ask my Dad for advice, and he wouldn’t give me any. Do you know how refreshing it was to not be told what to do by my parents?”  
“I can only imagine.”  
“It felt fantastic, I felt like I finally had control over my life. I didn’t even feel like that in New York because even then it was a situation that my parents forced me into. But to finally be able to decide whether I wanted to return to New York or stay here was the best feeling in the world.”  
“Why didn’t you choose New York?”  
“Because I realized that all I had left there was a crappy apartment, a job I didn’t want, and no friends. Here I have a gorgeous home, a job that I kinda want, and a ton of friends. The choice seemed pretty clear.”  
“Did you ever make any friends, or anything closer than a friend?” Jughead asked, allowing his gaze to fall upon her.  
Suddenly Betty felt very warm.  
“No,” Betty said, simply, looking down at her feet.  
Jughead made a small humming sound.  
“Do you wish to dance, Ms. Cooper?”  
“Yeah,” she said, swallowing, even though her mouth was dry.  
Jughead extended his hand to her, and she took it.  
Damn, Betty thought to herself, this might be a new problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me on tumblr @princessaurorasnow if you have any thoughts. <3

**Author's Note:**

> So I hope you all liked it, cause I'm super excited about it.  
> If you have any questions or thoughts, then leave a comment or come talk to me on Tumblr @princessaurorashow. <3


End file.
